A Sex Researcher’s 10 Favorite Fetishes

Kris Saknussemm, a sex researcher of 20 years, has been studying sexual fetishes his entire career. “Long past the investigation of shoes, pain, vomit and rubbing up against people on the subway,” Saknussemm has made some “delightful anomalies” over the years, as you might imagine. He has published a list on Nerve of his ten favorite fetishes. Did peegasms make the list? Find out after the jump!1. Catoptrophilia — Unusual titillation in the presence of mirrors.

Paris Hilton comes to mind here, but Saknussemm explains that this fetish is a bit more complicated that being in love with one’s self or appearance. He says people who are into this fetish are most excited by “the perception of a kind of Other — a psychic double or doppelganger” — basically, the idea of having sex with a twin of sorts. Um, pass!

Some Frisky readers might be pleased by this fetish. Or not. Do people enjoy being fetishized?

3. Pogonophilia — The fixation on bearded men.

I blame the hipsters for this one, though who can resist a bearded John Krasinski in this summer’s “Away We Go”?

4. Chremastistophilia — Excitement at being robbed or held up.

I have to quote Saknussemm’s entire explanation of this one because it’s just too good not to. He writes:

I’ve met several chremastistophiles, all of whom had been arrested on petty charges at some point in their lives — drug possession, minor theft, etc. All expressed a strong libido, but also a climax dysfunction. They got aroused, they just didn’t get off easily.

What magical thing finally provided that long-awaited release? The experience of being taken advantage of — which is different from out-and-out assault. It’s a variation on biastophilia, the perverse attraction to being raped, but the key distinction seems to lie in the impending threat itself. “Give me your wallet and nobody gets hurt” — that kind of thing.

One British gentleman proudly displayed the scar he received from a knife wound in the course of a mugging — an event which he said led to a spontaneous ejaculation, the most powerful and substantial he’d ever experienced. (While the sight of the knife wound continues to unhinge me.)

Have you been to the men’s section of a department store lately? There are some pretty fine mannequins these days. And who doesn’t get just a wee bit lusty at the sight of Michelangelo’s statue of David?

6. Acrotomophilia/Apotemnophilia — Attraction to amputees and the fascination with being an amputee.

Fascination with being an amputee? I’d take a knife-point mugging over losing a limb any day.

7. Formicophilia — Obsession with very small creatures — like insects, for example.

Skip!

8. Arachibutyrophilia — Has something to do with peanut butter (lots of it) and an allergy to it, but you’ll have to read Saknussemm’s essay for a full explanation since my brain simply cannot process such things.

9. Melophilia — The erotic worship of music.

“Elements of this fetish are be deeply ingrained in our culture and perhaps even our biology. Think of the dance frenzies, the religious convulsions and holy rolling.” Saknussemm says. I say melophilia ought to be a requirement for American citizenship.

10. Eremophilia — The exceptional arousal within deserted places.

Saknussemm writes:

I don’t think it would be honest or professional to write about fetishes and not admit to one myself. Whether it’s the husk of a lost highway gas station or a vine-choked shell of old motel down in the Everglades, derelicts are intensely erotic to me. Some of the hottest sex I’ve ever had was in the ruins of a mining village in Australia, pounding my girlfriend in the sunlit stillness. I think she knew the urge was irresistible. Being in a remote, abandoned place produces an almost painfully hard erection in me — a deeper hunger, almost like a drug craving. Freud said we owe ourselves some discretion, so I’ll leave it at that.

Leolah Brown, sister to Bobby Brown and aunt to Bobbi Kristina was kicked out of her niece’s funeral yesterday after verbally lashing at Pat Houston Bobbi Kristina’s former manager as well as sister-in-law to Bobbi Kristina’s mother Whitney Houston. Phew. That was a mouthful.